


Fighting to Win

by On_kamis_green_earth



Category: Dragon Ball
Genre: Accidents, Exes, F/M, Gen, M/M, Memory Loss, Recovery, boxing au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-10-13
Updated: 2019-11-02
Packaged: 2020-12-14 11:41:39
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21015191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/On_kamis_green_earth/pseuds/On_kamis_green_earth
Summary: Raditz is recovering from a tragic accident that changed his life forever. Behind the cheery attitude and positivity is a man who knows nothing about himself. His life is progressing when a wrench is thrown into everything...his ex.Chapter one is a submission for Raditz week prompt: Misbehavior





	1. Misbehavior

This was a mistake. All of this was a mistake. He should have never maintained his friendship with Chichi and should have never googled his ex. Where was his crazy overprotective sister when he needed her? Oh yah playing house with her long-term boyfriend. He should’ve never went to the stupid boxing match Chichi invited him to. He should’ve never asked how his ex-boyfriend was doing because now he needed to see him for himself for it to sink in. 

The man in front of him shook him to his core. It couldn’t be him. He was so different, his features were softened. His frame was downright emaciated compared to how he remembered him. But the look in his eyes were different too. They were soft and filled with something he couldn’t put words to. 

When he approached and asked to sit with him, Raditz had this goofy smile and looked behind him and over each shoulder before saying "okay" in a rather quiet and shy voice that sent a shiver down Lapis spine. Raditz was NEVER shy. 

Up close he had certainly lost a lot of weight, the man he knew was solid muscle. Even his face was thinner and it wasn’t just his legs that had atrophied. His entire frame was unusually thin. He was coloring from a stack of papers and slid a blank picture to him. As the room emptied he fiddled with his hearing aid in his right ear, something Lapis had just noticed. He smiled at him again, a sense of cluelessness in his gaze and cleared his throat awkwardly. 

Lapis could feel himself choking up but swallowed it down. “I’m sorry. Do I know you? The volunteers don't usually come round ‘dis time." Raditz was looking at him with that confused handsome face, his harsh brows pulled up and arched, "Not that I'm complaining that a handsome guy wants to color with me on his Saturday night." His brows fell and pinched inward as he snickered a bit. 

Lapis snorted and brushed his bangs back. Raditz still had game—apparently. "Well, we… yah, before  _ this _ ,” he wasn’t sure what to say so he just gestured to the room of the rehab center as a whole, “But you probably don't remember me," he ended quietly. 

"My accident?" Raditz offered with a nod. "Well I'm sure I haven't met yah after it or I'd remember  _ you _ ." The emphasis he placed on his final word sent a light blush to Lapis's cheeks, but it quickly ghosted when he remembered why after all this time he bothered to even look him up. 

"We haven’t talked in a while. We had a falling out of sorts,” Lapis explained. Raditz smile fell when he noticed Lapis face was somber and his eyes were glassy. 

"I'm sorry. I have seen some of the magazines the nurses bring in. Apparently, I was not the greatest person before all this. Kind of a jerk. So I'm sorry…. It's weird for me, the longer I've been here the less I wanna know about back then," Raditz said quietly, with an empty, forced laugh. "You don't need to stay, you don't owe me." 

"Honestly it's just more shocking being here and it feels odd I didn't know for so long about this." 

Raditz shrugged, "Kakarrot said it was a freak accident. Nothing to talk about I guess. I mean I wouldn’t know I don’t remember a good chunk of my life, ‘cept for waking up in the hospital. I just tell people I fought a bear. It sounds way cooler," he snorted. 

Lapis snorted too and shook his head at Raditz, "That is a very Raditz answer. I’m Lapis, sometimes you would call me blue or say my name in Saiyan.” 

"Oh, I remember that well,” Raditz said and Lapis felt his heart flutter and fall when he realized that Raditz meant not Lapis’s name but his first language. 

"It looks like you finished a lot of these," Lapis looked at the color pages that had much attention to detail. 

"There's more in my room but yah I do a lot of this. Keeps me fit," Raditz said stretching out and rolling his eyes, "Gives me something to do. It is really boring here but my nephew, Gohan is a sweet kid, he always brings me stuff to do. He’s a funny kid, he likes lots of science and smart people stuff but he started bringing me stuff to read.” 

"What types of things do you like?" 

"Comics," Raditz rolled back from the table and gestured to his daredevil shirt. “Gohan brings me them after he reads them. I like cartoons like funny adult ones and kid's ones, to be honest. I color a lot, I try sketching a bit, but I am not very good at it. Reading all kinds. Music is kinda hard with these," Raditz tapped his ears.

That passion and charm. He always had him hook, line, and sinker from day one. All it took was a few flirtatious attempts and he was putty in his hands. Bending and molding to him and his every whim. 

...

Lapis sighed and knocked on the door. He supposed this was the first time he had been to their home in years and it felt odd. He started coming here because of Ray and here he was again, coming to Chichi’s for Ray. 

Lapis smiled at Gohan who threw the door open with much enthusiasm, "Hi, Uncle Lapis!” The little boy chimed and gave him a huge hug. Lapis stiffened but warmed into the hug. He hadn’t seen Gohan in quite some time and ruffled the boy’s hair fondly.

“Well somebody has grown,” Lapis commented and Gohan laughed. 

"Heyyyy," Chichi said quietly, rubbing her rounded stomach. Goku scratched his head and returned to his food at the table. He hadn’t seen her for months and maybe she had told him about expecting another child but his attention was on Raditz. 

"Sorry, your brother asked me to pick up some stuff," Lapis said looking directly at Goku. Lapis never cared much for Goku but had learned to tolerate the goofball. 

"Sure. He let me know. He doesn't got much left though, Lapis. I don't know if he has anything he mentioned," Goku explained quietly, his eyes jutting to Gohan. He clearly did not want the boy part of the conversation and Chichi suggested he go pull some herbs from their garden outside. Goku rubbed Chichi’s belly tenderly and offered her a seat. 

"What do you mean?" Lapis said once the door shut with a click.

"Lapis I've been running his finances since the accident. He has nothing. He had seven dollars in his wallet and 15 in his bank account. He sold everything and paid rent advance for a month a day before. All he had was the few boxes in the garage and the motorcycle." Chichi said, struggling to get comfortable in her seat. 

"Why? He was never bad with money," Lapis said and shook his head. 

"We don't know he never called to explain beforehand. We thought everything was fine. We talked to him and he seemed fine. Even the day before…everything,” she said and Goku looked down rubbing his arm. 

“Honey, just lay down and relax,” Goku whispered to his wife and Lapis soon felt like an outsider. Clearly their lives had changed a lot too. 

"We put up sentimental stuff in his room but he's broke. We pay for his treatment,” she finished and Lapis nodded. 

“I guess I will dig through what he does have.”

…

Lazuli scoffed at him and rolled her eyes. “I can’t believe you. Why would you do this to yourself? You owe him nothing,” Lazuli said dryly. 

“I wanted to know okay? If Krillin was in the same scenario don’t lie and say you wouldn’t want to know,” Lapis threw his arms up in the air. 

“Krillin never cheated on me and disappeared from my life. Hell he’s my fucking manager now. I couldn’t get rid of him if I tried.” 

“Well we can’t all have perfect relationships now can we?” he bit.

She snorted, “See that’s the problem you are still calling it a relationship and it’s not Lapis.” 

“Of course it’s not. I am just bringing him something. He isn’t even the Raditz I knew Lazuli. And it’s not just the wheelchair. He’s…different,” he said with a sigh and she patted his arm.

“I’m fine,” Lapis dismissed and shrugged her off. 

…

It was hard to see this Raditz and his playboy ex as the same person. He had a few things in hand, some he remembered him liking some he told Lapis about on their last visit. 

When he checked in the lady at the desk gave him a sympathetic smile. "He's not in the best mood. He had OT and PT today and his progress is plateauing." 

"Uh okay. Thanks. but why are you telling me? Doesn't that break rules or something?" 

"You are Lapis Gero right?" The woman asked and he nodded. "Before he ended up with us you must have been signed off as a point of contact. We have a release of information for you." 

"Ohhh. Well, thank you." He walked away and composed himself before knocking on the open door and resting in the doorway. 

Raditz was sitting on his bed flexing his foot the best he could. Raditz looked up from what appeared to be a muscle strengthening exercise. He looked back down finishing the set. "Hi. Is now a bad time?" Lapis asked gently. Lapis was never good at gaging emotions. . 

"No. It is dinner time soon. You can join. I get guest passes," Lapis nodded and Raditz used a cane to pull his wheelchair near. 

At the dining hall, Raditz was quieter than usual. "I like your shirt" Lapis said finally to break the ice. 

"Bob's burgers. I like it. It was all I watched in the hospital. I've seen it three times over," he laughed a little for the first time that night. 

"I brought you some things to work on," he showed him some of the items he brought. 

"Thanks, it means a lot. It's not too exciting here. I don't remember much about myself but I don't think I was ever good at relaxing." 

"Not really. You liked to keep busy." 

"Well, my mama says the same thing. It's hard though. Sometimes it feels like people have these expectations and I can't meet them. And I’m not even sure if it was things I was able to do before." 

"Yeah...that would be hard." 

"I watched some of my old fights and it was weird. Like now my legs are dead weight. But that was me. I won a championship and I don’t even remember it," he shrugged. 

"Well..." he started stirring in his seat trying to find an answer. 

"It's fine. Gotta look at the positives. I’m alive, right? it would be nice to have more freedom though. Here I gotta ask to go outside or go with someone. It can feel really…annoying.”

“Suffocating?”

Raditz nodded and then his brow knitted in place. “Yah…can I ask yah something kinda weird?" 

"Sure." 

"Have I always been bi? My dad keeps mentioning settling down with a girl and my mom corrects him saying or a guy whoever is fine Bardock.” Raditz mimicked her high pitched voice which made Lapis snicker. Then he remembered Bardock was mentioned.

“Because he doesn’t like me,” Lapis muttered.

“Huh?” Raditz asked, clearly confused. Apparently Raditz hadn’t dug that far into his life before the accident. 

“We dated for a while…” 

“Oh… that’s how you know me…” 

“Sorry…I shouldn’t have said anything. The past is the past,” Lapis said half-heartedly. 

“Nah it’s fine! Makes sense,” Raditz was silent for a while, picking at his dinner. Lapis sighed recognizing the defeat in Raditz eyes. It was something you pick up on when you are with someone for years. “So what do you do?” Raditz suddenly asked. 

The question had thrown off Lapis but it also set reality back on its course. This man didn’t know him at all and he had been acting as though they had just moved on. Raditz had no recollection of their life together and saying a few things here and there wasn’t going to change that. 

“I was also a boxer. That is how I met you. I was obviously in a much lower weight class.” 

Raditz smiled, “You win any championships?” 

“Yes. I did. I had three but I took these last few years off so I am not doing as well this time around.” 

Raditz face twisted in confusion, “Why?” 

“Lost my passion for it I guess,” Lapis shrugged. 

“I wish I could get back to that, figure out if I even like it,” he smiled at the thought. “If I could have a job. Like if they let me. I don’t really know what I’d do. I rarely leave this place.” 

“But you've been here for two years,” Lapis stated evenly.

“My family takes me out sometimes, but it’s kind of a big ordeal. With my chair and Kakarot says people can be really nosy. He likes to keep his family private. So it isn’t very often. They visit here a lot though.”

“Do you want to go somewhere?”

He shrugged, “It’s not really an option so why bother?” 

“If you got a pass to go out and could go anywhere, where would it be?” 

A small smile graced his features as he continued shading in the picture in front of him, “Comic shop.”

“Done.”


	2. Storm

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So this Chapter is a submission for Raditz week as well! The prompt is storm. 
> 
> I will be continuing this story!

It gave Lapis this warm fuzzy feeling inside. Like taking a kid to a candy store for the first time. Or the first Christmas his nephew—ex-nephew, Gohan—could remember opening a present. 

Raditz rolled his chair forward through the shop his face filled with child-like wonder. This had been a strange development in his personality post-accident. Lapis couldn’t remember a time that Raditz was so animated. 

Lapis couldn’t imagine his Raditz doing anything but working out, building cars, or fighting. Now Raditz enjoyed reading anything from comics to chapter books though Raditz had admitted to Lapis that he didn’t have a complete understanding of novels. 

He reassured him, that was normal for Raditz, he was very much a visual person. His ex was always too prideful to admit it but his reading and comprehension were delayed. English wasn’t Raditz first language and Lapis always suspected that reading was a challenge for him. 

It was something he learned to just workaround. Lapis grew up in a very wacky but creative environment. His father was eclectic and would always speak to Lapis in riddles. So Lapis would explain things in great depth weaving a story into anything in day to day life. It was quirky, but likely why they connected emotionally despite being so different--and Lapis being so closed off. Lapis wouldn’t address it directly, but rather, bypass it. It was a silent agreement between the couple, but one that held them together. It wasn’t laced with bitterness or condescending, Lapis just wanted the man he loved to get to see the world through his eyes. 

And in a small comic shop, they could just be people. Not a lost soul who had given up on his passions or a ‘crippled’ athlete as the news so eloquently put it. They weren’t exes either. Just Lapis and Raditz. 

“This is amazing,” Raditz said trying to keep it together and bury his excitement. 

Lapis could feel his own heartbeat in his chest, something about the way Raditz smiled and looked around the room broke him in two. 

“Well, I’m glad you like it. It’s one of a couple of stores I found online. I thought maybe start here since it’s close to your home,” Lapis explained and pretended to thumb through the different comics. Lapis had no interest at all, but Raditz didn’t need to know that. 

“I have never been somewhere like this,” Raditz smiled and one of the shop owners helped him thumb through the different comics that were too high for Raditz to reach. Lapis looked at the covers with tentative curiosity. He never bothered to look up any stories but he’d heard Raditz mention a few before. 

A couple covers caught Lapis eye, he had seen Raditz wear a Daredevil shirt. From what he gathered from Raditz, Daredevil was a man blinded in an accident. He was a lawyer by day and vigilante crime fighter by night. This particular comic wasn’t Daredevil, but he had seen the same story before on Raditz small desk. The cover featured a bald man in a wheelchair, something Lapis had never seen before on a cover of any comic before but the title was familiar. 

“Professor Charles Xavier,” one of the teens who worked at the shop said, with a smile. 

“Who? I mean who is he?” Lapis said pointing to the book he had grasped in his hand. 

“He is wheelchair-bound after a spinal cord injury. His powers though are amazing, he’s a telepath. His mind is strong and he can communicate with people on a much deeper level,” the teen explained enthusiastically. “Also his character is a huge mark of representation for people with disabilities.”

“Oh, thank you. I think I’ll take this one.” Lapis said and glanced over at Raditz who was continuing to thumb through the books. He smiled at Raditz and brushed his own bangs back. 

Raditz waved at him, “Do I need to wrap this up?” 

“Take your time,” Lapis stated and continued to watch from afar. 

...

Lapis’s visits had become more frequent to the point where Raditz almost expected him to show up daily. 

Lapis would sit down with him, wait through any exercises Raditz had then they would chat. Lapis would bring some coloring sheets he got online for variety. But Lapis never expected things to take a turn. 

Lapis bit his lip and took a breath reflecting on last week’s awkward conversation,  _ “You mean a lot to me. My life has been pretty boring until now.” Lapis could feel his heart thump in his chest as he anticipated the next words. “I feel like we have a connection and I think I’m falling for you again.” _

It was safe to say he hadn't visited after Raditz confession. And it was absolutely adorable how Raditz said it,  _ “I think I’m falling for you again.” _ Lapis response was choked and awkward, ‘ _ We should be just friends’  _ and he excused himself a few moments after, booking for the door. 

How could Raditz do this to him? After all those years together? They had just built a friendship he could bare and then this admission threw the brakes on everything. How could this happen? It had torn him up inside. 

Raditz was different but the same. He was a new person but also the man that hurt Lapis so much. The man he swore off for all eternity. 

Then again he sought him out and wedged himself back into Raditz life and he hadn’t at all considered this consequence. He was a fool and it showed. 

He felt bad though he could have dealt with this more gently. Lapis needed to decide was he the old Raditz or someone new. 

When he got there Goku was finishing up. "Hey, Lapis!" He chimed clearly Raditz had kept their talk between them. "Well I gotta get home Cheech needs some new mommy time to herself. You know our baby was just born." Goku smiled proudly forcing several baby photos before Lapis eyes, “He looks just like me! Anyway I just wanted to show off Goten to his uncle. Have fun guys!” Goku said and walked out finger gunning his brother with a wide smile. 

Lapis was silent and Raditz refused to meet his eyes. "I'm sorry I said it that way," Lapis said finally.

"Friends is fine," Raditz responded with a shrug. 

"I like you too but I'm not ready to forget the past." 

"I figured. I kind of googled us. So I know now. I'm just not that person anymore but I know to you it's not like that." 

"That stuff isn't always accurate and I don’t know how they worded it." Lapis said almost defensively. 

"So you just don't wanna be with me because I'm crippled now? Because at this point it's all I can come up with," he muttered, not moving his eyes from his drawing.

Lapis narrowed his eyes, his anger getting the best of him, "If you googled then you know you are fuckboy and a cheat." 

Raditz snapped the crayon in his hand. "I wouldn't do that,” he gritted out.

"But you did!" Lapis scoffed and threw his hands up.

"Please. Please leave. I can't take this." Lapis hated the pleading in Raditz voice but his anger took over. Raditz was cupping his ears desperate to keep the sound out but Lapis wasn’t letting him out of this. 

"No, we are going to talk." Lapis replied and Raditz tugged his hearing aid out and tossed it on the bed. Covering his ears again. "You hurt me a lot and I know you had so much taken from you but I never got to set the record straight. Because you disappeared off the face of the earth and then I find out that this happened,” Lapis spat at him. 

"If you think this sucks for you how do you think I feel. I'll never box again. Never walk. And I’m told it’ll only get worse from here. That I will just keep decaying in one of these stupid rehab centers and never have a shot at a normal life because no one wants to take this on.” He took a shaky breath, “I can't fucking hear worth shit so I have to lip read. I don't remember anything from the last 15 years of my life. I'll always be apologizing to everyone for shit I don't remember or identify with. It fucking sucks to apologize for another person who is also you.” 

Raditz was shaking and Lapis briefly felt the need to comfort him but he swatted Lapis hand away, “NO! I have round the clock nursing because I can't even take a shower by myself. And I just found out this wasn't an accident at all someone did this to me on purpose. Someone took everything from me and I always had that. That it was an accident. So if this shit is too much then don't come back," Raditz hit his fists on his wheelchair armrests. 

"...fine..." Lapis said quietly.

“That’s it fine?” He couldn’t hold it in anymore and openly sobbed, “I fucking love you and my life is nothing but a living hell and all you can say is fine? Fuck me I guess.”

“It’s not like I enjoy seeing you like this. It’s not like I get kicks out of it,” Lapis said quietly.

“Well, I hope you got the closure you needed. And if in some way this didn’t make you feel better and you don’t care ‘bout me then why did you come back in my life? I was fine living my life with just my family and my boring everyday life. Then you came here and I started to hope and then you took it away,” he muffled his sniffles and rubbed at his face.

Tears streamed down Lapis face and he gritted, “I didn’t ask you to have these feelings for me. All I wanted was closure with the man who broke my heart.” 

Raditz chuckled through the sobs, “He doesn’t exist.” 

“Why are you laughing?” Lapis said venom lacing his tongue. 

“Because I never thought the pain could get worse than when I woke up in a full-body cast. But being hated by someone you love has to be the worse thing I have ever felt so please leave and don’t come back,” he begged, unable to look at her and Lapis got up and left the room. 

“They should’ve just finished the job,” Raditz screamed and threw anything in arms reach. Nurses rushed toward the room but Lapis zipped up his coat and walked out the doors. It was over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the big feels y'all.


	3. Crumpled

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Introducing the geets!

_Lapis looked back over his shoulder just quick enough to get a glimpse of the firm body pressing him hard into the steel lockers. He felt his forehead hit the metal and a hard erection press into his ass. “Hey, so you were eyeing me,” Lapis forced out breathing heavily. The man behind him felt like a solid wall of muscle pressed against him._

_“Of course I was. You were practically fucking me with your eyes that entire fight,” Raditz bit hard down on his shoulder._

_Lapis winced and snorted, “Aren’t you conceited.” He said planting his hands on the locker. “Well get to work, big boy,” he popped his lips and moaned as Raditz ran his tongue down the back of Lapis’s neck._

_Raditz tugged both of their shorts down and rubbed some spit onto his erection before sinking himself into Lapis. Raditz shivered a little, Lapis tightness squeezing him. He moved his hands down to Lapis hips and began to slowly move inside Lapis._

_“You're going slow,” Lapis bit, pushing himself back into Raditz. He knew he was taunting the other man, but Lapis wanted to feel something and a good hard fucking typically did the trick._

_Raditz grunted, thrusting hard into him, “Don’t pretend I’m easy to adjust to.” Lapis bit down on his lip hard and was glad Raditz couldn’t see his face. Water prickled at his eyes as he felt Raditz thick, long length slam into him._

_“Shut up and fuck me,” Lapis said breathlessly and gasped as Raditz picked up his pace and Lapis felt his body hit the locker slightly. Raditz had pressed him firmly against the lockers and Lapis’s body rattled against the hollow metal with each thrust. Raditz gripped Lapis hips to snap his against Lapis and thrust deep._

_Lapis longed to snake his hand down to rub his own throbbing erection but was pressed so firmly against the cool metal there was no room between himself, Raditz, and the lockers. He moaned loudly and it echoed through the locker room. Raditz tangled his fingers in Lapis's hair pushing him flush up against the lockers. Raditz pulled back and slowed his pace as Lapis came._

_It felt like electricity shooting through Lapis’s body and Raditz came in him shortly after. Lapis let his head roll back on to Raditz's shoulder as the larger man slumped forward. Once they caught their breath, they moved to the showers slowly. Lapis legs felt like jello and Raditz snorted at himself as he dragged his own heavy body to the sanctuary of the steamy water._

_Lapis rested against Raditz's body it had been a few weeks since he had seen the other man and somehow Lapis allowed himself to miss Raditz. Miss a man he only occasionally fucked. He never felt like it was a poor arrangement, both men got exactly what they wanted out of it._

_Lapis had his back to Raditz, who ran his fingers through Lapis's hair and down his shoulders. Raditz tenderly thumbed the mark he’d left on Lapis shoulder_

_Raditz wrapped his arms around Lapis waist and Lapis looked over his shoulder confused as the water hit Raditz back. Raditz kissed Lapis's neck right behind his ear, “When are we gonna make this a thing?”_

_“What do you mean?” Lapis asked pointedly._

_Raditz chuckled a little, his wild mane seemingly repelling the water, “I mean like be more than fuck buddies. Go to dinner.”_

_“Like date and be public? Two gay male boxers dating?” Lapis asked dryly, looking back at Raditz who nodded. “How do you even know you want me like that?” Lapis asked, turning completely away from his lover. Truthfully Lapis wasn’t confident that Raditz was even gay or interested in a relationship with a man. It wouldn’t be the first guy that Lapis fucked around with consistently that would prefer to be ‘straight’ in the eyes of the public._

_“Because I do want you. I admire you and sure we only spend an hour or so together at a time, but I don’t care about the public stigma or any of that,” Raditz said and ran his hands through Lapis's wet hair._

_Lapis took a deep breath, resting his head back against Raditz's hard chest, “Yes.”_

…

Goku signed it was clear Raditz hadn’t gotten out of bed for the day and it was well past noon. Raditz still had his sleep pants and hoodie on and was laying on his side, facing away from the front door. Goku sat on the sit of the bed and sighed, “Hey nurses said you hadn’t gotten up yet….you doing okay?”

Raditz scoffed but didn’t turn to face his brother, “No. What’s the point? I’m depressed. I have hit my limits. I can’t improve anymore. Everything is...broken.”

Goku’s heart sank. Here he came here hoping to spread all the joy in his life when his brother was a mess. Goku helped Raditz turn over by rolling his legs to the side so he could pull himself up.

Goku took a breath, “That’s not true. Well, some of it I am sure is, but you can keep getting better Raditz. I believe it...listen I have a really crazy idea and I don’t think your doctors are gonna be happy with me,” Goku rubbed his neck and chuckled. “But I think it’s time we handle this our way if you're up for it. Like how we would’ve before you lost your memory.”

“Which is...what?” Raditz sighed and rubbed his face.

“Before your accident, you loved weightlifting other than fighting it was your thing. Sure we will have to make modifications but I think you might still like it and it could help build some strength back up.”

Raditz snorted but smiled a little, “You're actually suggesting we go against doctor's orders?”

Goku nodded with a huge grin and chuckled.

“I’m down. Get me out of this hellhole,” Raditz smiled back and scooted to the edge of his bed.

Goku rolled his wheelchair to the bed, putting his arm out to help Raditz get down, “By the way, you gotta meet Goten officially. He looks just like me, kiddo has a full head of hair. Cheech wants to bring him by soon,” Goku continued talking about the new addition to the family as they headed out.

…

“What the fuck was that!?” Lazuli yelled but under her screaming and anger, Lapis could see her concern. Krillin handed Lapis an ice pack that Lazuli threw at her brother, “You are completely off your game, you’re not training, and you got pummeled tonight.”

“Zuzu…” Krillin said almost as a warning and she shot him a glare, “I’m serious Lazuli tread lightly like we talked about, baby.”

Lazuli walked away and paced in circles doing breathing exercises. Lapis nursed his bruised eye socket with the ice given to him and if it weren’t for the throbbing pain in his face he would be laughing. Krillin really had changed his sister. Love had changed his sister. Krillin smiled at him like he always did, with sympathy and pity. Ever since he and Ray broke up years ago Krillin had the same pitiful smile waiting for Lapis.

Then his sister sat down where she was standing and started quietly sobbing, something he had never seen from her before. Krillin immediately turned to her to soothe her, rubbing her head and holding her to his chest. “It’s okay momma,” he whispered into her ear.

“Lazuli...I’m fine...I…” he trailed off, not knowing what to say. He wasn’t okay. That was clear but he was in much better shape on the outside than he was when Ray and he initially broke up. Back then Lapis was skin and bone and drinking his sorrows away. Seeing his sister crumple up on the floor was sobering like he never imagined.

“You're not fine. He did this again,” she said quietly.

“No. I did this. I shouldn’t have gone back. I should’ve listened to you but I didn’t and it is going to eat me alive if I don’t figure out what happened, because that is the only thing I can do now,” Lapis said, “And that is so I can move on.” He watched Krillin protectively rub Lazuli’s back and Lazuli accept his tender embrace and it hit him like a truck, “Momma?”

“Surprise,” she said dryly, rolling her eyes.

Lapis scoffed and helped her up, “You bitch. Give me a hug. Not telling me,” Lapis muttered holding his sister in his arms and Krillin watched from the side with a small smile.  
…

"Hi, Vegeta Ouji, right?" Lapis asked and Vegeta turned with a scowl.

"Why?" he asked, tossing his bag on his shoulder.

"Can you tell me anything about Raditz's accident? Anything?” Lapis asked.

"You'd know if you were with him at the time. He got into an accident that's all," he began walking away and Lapis grabbed Vegeta’s bag.

"He's never going to fight again but if you know something you might be able to help him. He doesn't remember anything Vegeta. He didn't remember me or you or fighting or anything. He might never walk again. He deserves to be compensated and get closure."

"Then sue the person who hit him," Vegeta bit and ripped his bag from Lapis’s grip.

Lapis sneered and followed after him, "There were no other people. They claimed it was a hit and run but we both know that's not true."

"I know nothing,” he continued walking for the door.

"I bet Bulma’s proud!” Lapis yelled and watched the other man flinch, shake his head, and continue on his warpath. “Bet your son will be happy to know his father is a fucking coward!”

Vegeta turned and grabbed Lapis by the collar, “You keep my boy out of your damn mouth. Understand?”

“I see him more than you,” Lapis ripped himself away, “You put on a show but you can’t fool me Ouji. You're afraid of something and it’ll ruin you too.” Vegeta unclenched his fist and walked away; Lapis glared as he watched Vegeta leave.


End file.
